Watching this now live on SBS. It’s very confusing.
I cannot tell when actual footage is being used (AI colourised + cleaned up) or when it is re-enactments that have been re-colourised similarly to match. The program actively seems to not want me to be able to tell the difference.
It can’t possibly be all based on period footage. There is too much in too high of quality and resolution.
Most (but not all of it) has had its framerate increased to be smooth, so I can’t use that as a hint.
Sometimes the soldiers wave at the camera and the footage is a bit lower in quality. Other times they ignore the camera and look more like actors, but I can’t be certain.
Some of the equipment looks wrong period (gasmasks) but I can’t be sure. I really want to know now (I guess that means its a successful program in some ways). EDIT: Looks like the gasmask is legit!
Never thought watching a program on the SBS would unsettle me as much as this. I’ve seen AI colourised and interpolated footage, but not mixed with (what I think is) re-enactments in a way designed to stop you telling the differences.
EDIT: It’s hard to find info about this show, it has a generic name and looks like it was only released this year.
- Watchable online in Aus right now: https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/watch/2374216259693
- Main site (language switch at top-right): https://www.cccprod.com/en/production/apocalypse-d-day
Some short excerpts for the purpose of demonstrating examples of questionable footage (short enough that they shouldn’t be a copyright problem, for purposes of criticism, review, research and study).
Which of this footage is real and which is re-enactment? Is the photo of the clapboard separate to the video before it, with the camera flash transition inbetween?
This ship footage looks like it could be real. The quality is amazing however.
Direct evidence of AI colourisation: a flag that changes colour
No, no, it symbolises… something, when they one person hands it to another and it changes to red. /s
Wait a second… if the AI was trained to think that blue flags lie down and red flags are windswept, then what are the biases of the footage was it trained on?
leafblowers near UN headquarters flagpoles intensify
Wasn’t it white when lying down?
Here’s a short excerpt with a lot of editing. I am not sure which parts are period or not and to what level the editing has been done.